It's been an up and down decade for Nintendo, they had the hugely successful release of the Nintendo Switch, yet that was following a less successful run for the Wii U. However, throughout the decade, they shined when it came to releasing games. Whether publishing them or developing them, there is no denying that plenty of fantastic titles were released under the Nintendo name.
That brings us to this list, we have looked at the decade and found which Nintendo game (whether they developed or published it) had the highest Metacritic score in each year. Some you would expect to make the list and others you might be surprised by, and they are certainly some big omissions (*cough* 2017 *cough*).
10 2010: Super Mario Galaxy 2 - 97
Nintendo started the decade strong with the release of Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Wii. The outstanding platformer's score of 97 makes it the joint-highest rated on this list, and it's easy to see why, with its charming visuals, fun power-ups, and its insane amount of cleverly designed levels.
It did have the advantage of its wonderful predecessor laying a lot of the groundwork, but Galaxy 2 enhanced the first game in every way, as a good sequel should. A true must-play for any fans of the Italian plumber.
9 2011: The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time 3D - 94
2011 was a good year for Zelda games as this 3DS remake of Ocarina of Time just edged out the Wii's The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword.
With the original Ocarina of Time being such a beloved title there was a lot of pressure to not screw this remake up, luckily it delivered in a big way. In particular, the graphics garnered a lot of deserved praise as the updated visuals looked stunning. Whereas the gameplay was altered slightly to work on a very different system in the form of the 3DS, yet they managed to avoid losing any of the fun from the original.
8 2012: Xenoblade Chronicles - 92
Xenoblade Chronicles was actually released in most countries prior to 2012, but due to it hitting the shelves in North America that year, Metacritic defines it as a 2012 game (as does this list). Regardless of year, Xenoblade Chronicles deserves to be in a discussion about Nintendo's best games over the decade.
Despite being let down by the Wii's limitations in the visual department, this game excelled in everything else. It had a plot that seemed generic at first but quickly developed into an intriguing tale. Also, it had a combat system that was deep enough to satisfy JRPG veterans, yet simple enough to be appreciated by players new to the genre. Plus, it had an awesome soundtrack.
7 2013: Super Mario 3D World - 93
Back to Mario now, with this 3D co-op adventure. This games' somewhat of a hybrid of the 3D Mario games (like the Galaxy series) and the New Super Mario Bros. titles.
Whether playing alone or tackling levels with a buddy (or three), Super Mario 3D World was outrageously fun. Due in part to the inclusion of some of the most inventive Mario levels players had ever seen. Plus having each character play slightly differently due to their difference in jump height and running speed, gave a nice little bit of variety between them, that's not always seen in Mario co-op titles.
6 2014: Super Smash Bros. For Wii U - 92
Super Smash Bros. For Wii U was a great addition to one of the most popular fighting franchises ever. It may not have revolutionized the series, but it retained what fans loved about it in the first place.
As with any Smash Bros. title, the fighting mechanics were fluid and allowed for battles to play at an insanely frantic pace. With this installment, the level of carnage was raised even higher with the inclusion of 8-Player Smash, which as the name heavily implies allowed for eight-person fights. While it was hard at times to keep up with what was going on when eight fighters were all brawling, it was still a lot of fun.
5 2015: The Legend Of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D - 89
Outside of a Mario Kart 8 DLC pack (which is ineligible for this list), Nintendo's best release (according to Metacritic) in 2015 was another 3DS remake of a classic Zelda game.
Clearly following the same formula they used for the Ocarina Of Time remake, Majora's Mask 3D was excellently remade for the handheld console. Once again they managed to keep what many loved about the original, while also updating it to make it accessible to new players. It's a testament to the quality of the original how little this remake needed to change for it to be one of the best Nintendo titles in this decade.
4 2016: Fire Emblem Fates: Special Edition - 88
2016 wasn't the strongest year for Nintendo Games, as Fire Emblem Fates: Special Edition is the lowest scored game on this list, however at an 88 it is still brilliant.
The Special Edition took Birthright, Conquest, and Revelation (all different versions of Fire Emblem Fates), and put them all into one package. Each version was amazing in their own right, so naturally when put together they're even better, as you get to experience the wonderful story in its entirety. While storytelling and characters are the biggest highlights in Fire Emblem Fates, there was also a lot of enjoyment to be had during its turn-based battles.
3 2017: Super Mario Odyssey - 97
Shockingly, The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild misses out!!! Before cursing out the critics, you should know it actually did receive the same score as Super Mario Odyssey, yet Metacritic users rated Odyssey higher, so it made this list instead.
It takes a phenomenal game to match Breath of the Wild, which is exactly what Super Mario Odyssey is. The game had the usual charm and creativity of Mario with the added bonus of Cappy. Throwing Mario's hat to possess enemies looked ridiculous when it was first announced, although in execution, it added so much innovation to puzzles and levels.
2 2018: Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - 93
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate really earned the last word in its title as it is THE ultimate Smash Bros. game.
It had everything fans would want from the series, including a huge character list, an insane amount of stages, and smooth fighting mechanics. Ultimate even had an enjoyable single-player story mode named World of Light, which was a lot longer than you'd expect from an adventure mode in a party game. The fighter was packed with so much content that it's hard to imagine how any future Smash Bros. installment (if there ever is one) is going to match up.
1 2019: Fire Emblem: Three Houses - 89
We're excluding Dragon Quest XI S from this list, as Nintendo was only a part publisher and it was more of a Square Enix game than a Nintendo title. So, Fire Emblem: Three Houses gains the Nintendo crown for 2019.
As expected of the Fire Emblem series, Three Houses had a lengthy and compelling narrative. Due to the different houses and choices, it took more than one playthrough to fully appreciate the story. Playing through again was no chore though, because the gameplay remained enjoyable throughout, regardless of whether you were battling enemies, talking to people, or just simply fishing.